Sis, Family IS Important, Ain't it
by LoveoftheStoriesAnime
Summary: Serenity only wanted have her honeymoon with her brother and new sister, what's wrong with that? But just when things are going well, they go all dangerously wrong. . . and they all learn what exactly the word family means. JxM, SxS, some YxT later.
1. Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: My A/ns are on my website, if anyone reads those. This fic was special requested, aren't I nice? I don't own YGO.

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"Go on. . . .get in . . . make yourselves comfortable. . . ." Serenity ushered them in, her brother in new sister-in-law. "Or unless. . . I daresay . . . you'd rather spend . . . your honeymoon alone?"

There was a short pause as the newlyweds glanced at one another. Both of them would have indeed rathered gone alone. But neither of them were much match against Serenity's hopefulness, on tenterhooks. Sheepishly they shook their heads slowly.

"All right!" she cheered and led the way inside the sparkling pristine-white private jet. "Good, because you would've gone anyway," she muttered through a grin and her back turned.

"Looks . . .like we've been duped," Mai said, entering the cool air-conditioned atmosphere with the smell of leather.

"At least I don't have ta worry about Sis's financial future," Joey said at once, once they were alone with the baby and the puppy in the carriage together.

"That's the way to think," Mai said, picking a seat, a comfy, plush chair in beige, sitting down and crossing her legs. She smiled up at him encouragingly and made herself comfortable..

"Yeah, but I was being sarcastic." He took the adjacent chair waving a hand towards the ATM in the corner. "Like, 'gee, what'll Sis do without an ATM if he kicks her out?" He said with mock seriousness. A yound man, twenty-years-old with an accent, he was already (unusually) uncomfortable in such lavish surroundings.

"I'm sure Sis will manage if that's ever the case."

"Sis?" he questioned, shifting around to remove thehard metal buckles of the seatbelt.

"Yeah, she's my sister now, too," she said.

"Oh yeah . . . "

"Which means. . . " she said, a grin spreading on her lovely face, "you'll have to call. . . " she leaned forwards and lowered her voice slightly: "Kaiba. . . big brother. Aw!"

"Argh," he said, with a groan, shuddering. Shivering, he clutched at his arms.

"It's true," she went on in a smiling voice. "You should call him 'big brother' and see what happens. Bet you anything it'll freak him out." She said with a laugh of amusement.

"Who'm I, Mokuba?" But he shook her hand and held it afterwards. "But I'll do it' I'll take you up on that bet. What'll you give me for my trouble?"

"You'll see." She said mysteriously. A stunning young woman of twenty-five, she was accustomed to such surroundings. She flipped her long blonde braid around and continued; with the braid wrist-thick and gleaming even in the low, fluorescent lights of the airline, she looked much like a Nordic princess. "Once we're-"

"Hey, you guys? Need anything?" Serenity's face just popped out—just out of nowhere, just her face. "Seto's making last, final checks, fuel and etc., nothing to be worried about," she explained in a rush. "Joey, there's food on the armrest-"

"Jeez!" Serenity had said everything even before he could utter a word, and his leap of surprise was a fast reaction. "A hologram-"

"No, thanks sweetie, we're okay. Tell him to take his time," Mai said, acting as if she saw these every day, of humans, that is. Her new sister smiled and poof! disappeared.

"Did ya see that?" Unnerved, Joey sat down again. Mai felt around in the armrest meanwhile and found the food. "He's. . . he's turning her into. . . some kinda. . . techo-_wife_!"

"Oh, he is not. That's not even a word, I do think."

"One day I'll be talkin' to her, and suddenly, I can put _my arm_ through 'er-" he predicted

"Oh, you're over-exaggerating! And at least it won't hurt her," Mai quipped, chewing a chocolate chip.

"Well. .. . yeah . . . " _But it still is creepy!_ He glanced out the window distracted. "I guess. . . hey, look, Yuge and Téa!"

Mai looked over and out the small, square window: "I guess their plane's delayed." The two were supposed to go to New York to fulfill their dreams. She pouted: "It's no fair that they _finally_ just got together and now they're leaving. I didn't even get to tease them about it!"

Joey shook his head. His new wife had a thing about spying on other couples . . . and teasing them mercilessly. Silently he was glad that his best friend skidaddled afterfinally—yes, _finally_—confessing his feelings to his childhood best girl friend. He couldn't help wondering if this had been Yugi's intentions. But now they were waving back at him with happy expressions.

"I'm glad," Mai said, waving also at them. "Téa is a dear, but sometimes she's . . . a little, you know. . . " She waved a chip laden hand. "High strung and tense. Maybe Yugi will mellow her out a little."

"Yeah," Joey agreed; "Hey. . . maybe we c'n visit them in New York!" He suggested as their friends' plane slowly rolled down the airstrip.

"Yeah! Now that's a good idea. But . . . we have to discuss it with Kaiba and Serenity."

"Oh. Right."

"Don't worry," she said, through a mouthful, "I bet they'll be agreeable. We can make stop on the way, and that'll be our last stop since, you know. . . " She threwa perfect basket of wrapper in the trashcan. "It's all the way around the world."

Joey just stared at her, thinking.

"Oh . . . I'm sorry .. . did you want something to eat, too?"

"No, you go ahead . . . I was just thinkin': actually remembering. . . " He paused a moment: "What day is it? What number?"

"The twenty-fifth of May. Hey, your sister's birthday is coming up, what is it, her twentieth?"

"Yeah. . . " he said slowly. "You know, this time, well _around_ it, we went to our first plane trip together, remember?"

"Oh. . . right. . . the World Tours Tournament." She laughed at the memories: "Now THAT was fun."

"Yeah, it was." _That's weird: I remember school had let out, so it was right before summer. . ._

"Hey, maybe we can go and visit. . . you know, see old friends, see old places, and the like."

"Mm-hm. Sounds great ta me."

"That's really weird, how the times concide, I mean."

They sat in silence, comtemplating this startling revelationand reveling in the memories. Then there was an announcement:

"We will being taking off shortly. Please put your seats in an upright position-"

"But don't bother putting on your seatbelts; you'll be jumping out at 250,000 feet- give or take- optional parachutes are located on the left, bwa ha-ow!" Kaiba said.

"He's joking! It's a joke!" Serenity said at a crackle of static.

"Oh. . . funny," Joey sarcastically said, fiddling with the metal buckle, "He thinks he's s_ooooooooooooo_ hilarious."

"I can't believe you thought he was serious." Mai sighed. "Figures."

She had already buckled her belt across the lap of her dress, and held the baby carriage steady and still. The engines gave a deafening roar once, it took off like a jet-rocket, that is. "You okay, dear?" she called behind her, knowing of Joey's phobia.

"I didn't even finish puttin' on my-" he sputtered, having been thrown to the back, but otherwise okay. The plane gave a slight lurch, then steadied. "ONE of these days-" Joey said omniously, knowing it was a mistake coming along.

Serenity came flying out, her long vivid red hair flying around her dark green dress suit. "Is everyone all right? You didn't-? How's Chris? Mai, can you look after him for a sec? I'll be right back!" she said, disappearing out.

"Sure, hon," Mai picked up said baby; he was awake from Joey's yelling anyway. "Hey! You little cutie, yes you are! You're not wet, are you? 'Cause Auntie Mai doesn't know how to change a diaper! Oh, no she doesn't!" _I'll ask Kaiba to, that's be funny._

Little Chris, short for Christian James, stared out at her with big blue eyes as if in fascination. He had a thick, dark red mop of hair, and was only a month old, although he could speak and looked like a two-year-old. Well, only a few words, anyway. But more than a month old should.

"Wow, his skin is so soft." Mai touched the fat, chubby cheek. "I'm trying to develop my products to- be like this-" She owned a clothing line with the help of her assistant, Julie. "Eeeek! Isn't he just the _adorablest!"_ Squealing again, he held the baby close in the brink of crushing him.

"Calm down, Mai!" Taking him away from her death grip, Joey put Chris back into his carriage. "Babies sure are cute, though." When his nephew turned to stare at him, he made a face by stickiing out his tongue and crossed his eyes. "_Bleah!_"

Chris's mouth dropped opened, and then he laughed. "Uncle!"

"That's right, hey, he recognized me!" Joey said, delighted.

"That's right. " Mai stared rapturously at the infant. "He - babies - sure do change moods fast, don't they . . . ? First happy, then sad."

"It's Double Personality Baby!" Joey said, swooping him upu and down like superman. Christain squealed gleefully little fat arm waved.

"Don't say such things about-!" Mai chided, when Serenity came in.

"What's so funny . . . ? Oh, come to Mama! Joey, _don't_ do that-you'll drop him-"

"Course I won't Sis . . . " But he didn't tell her what was so funny. He wasn't stupid enough.

"I think he's wet," Mai said helpfully.

"Okay, so let's see . . . I need to get his diaper bag. . " Serenity went off to search, muttering.

"Seems kind of frazzled . . . " Mai said worriedly, lookinf after her new sister.

"Phew! Good thing she didn't overhear . . . Sis is kind of nuts about her son. . . " Joey sighed and put down his nephew. "She woulda been mad."

"Mad?"

"You know, angry?" He sighed again. sounding totally exhausted. "You never seen her mad, eh?"

"Now that I think of it. . . no," Mai was surprised to find out that in five years of knowing her, she never seen Serenity angry or even peeved. It was weird since she herself usually lost her temper, especially during stressful times.

"Well, it's like she has levels. Level one, she yells. Level two, she waves her fists around. Level three," he shook his head gravely. "She spins around like a little reheaded Tasmanian devil."

Mai stared at him, then burst out laughing.

"You'll see. Once I threw her rag doll in da lake, and next day I found my, er, _action figure_ in the bathtub, facedown."

"And when was this?" Mai began unwrapping her fourth chocolate. "Last year."

"Very funny. I was six. . . or four." He changed the subject, as Mai continued to shake her head disbelievingly. "Anyway, hopefully Chris here doesn't have that. Seeing his father's Kaiba, probably so. But I don't want some sissy nephew either. But again- he is-"

"Is what?" came a deep voice tinted with surliness.

"Hey," Mai said brightly putting one arm on the edge of her seat; Kaiba didn't answer just politely nodded, but she was far used too used to this. "We were wondering-"

"About New York? Yes, we discussed it already and I've set-" he took the baby- "a course for it. Stops along the way, too," he added when she opened her mouth to speak some more.

Holding his child rather awkwardly with his long arms, he swept away towards the cockpit. He was twenty one, thought he had been too young to have a child, but then (with some force) changed his mind.

"Well, that was nice of him," Mai said as a sudden silence filled the air. Joey was thinking again.

". . . I just hope his mood don't change suddenly during this trip."

"I just hope that this trip is better than the last one," Mai sighed, still thinking of the cute little kid. "With him, I mean." She turned to him. "And you didn't call him 'brother'!"

". . . He's more your brother than mine." It didn't seem fair. _First, I - we - had ta share our wedding day with him, and now our honeymoon?_ Joey sat down with a thump, rubbing his chin, his long blond ponytail hanging (he wore it long, into a ponytail now), twitching a little from the movement. But Sis was determined to make them all a "family" now. _What does he know about having a family? All he has is Mokuba._ And he's somewhere off, with Rebecca, Joey thought to himself.

So, all in all, he was still a little bit leery of the idea. But he'd have to deal with it. After all, they did have a kid now, his Sis and K-

"I'll be back in a sec, dear, I'm going . . . to the bathroom," Mai said, getting up gracefully, her long white dress folds swimming around her figure. He was pulled out of his thoughts with her voice, she was always a distraction. The white dress reminded him of their wedding, which had actually been a double wedding, with more than a hundred guests. Who were all flying to their separate places in the world. Half of Domino had attended.

It was a nice ceremony, though, he thought dreamily, the puppy his Sis and her husband had given them as a wedding present at his feet, snoozing. And after the wedding night . . .

Well, he sort of hoped that he would be a father real soon, too. On one hand, he wanted to spend more time with his wife first before having children, but this was real appealing concept. . .

The melody on his phone played. "Hello?" Joey said, answering it, his voice quiet from daydreaming. All he heard was static. Then a distorted, evil-sounding voice came:

"You . . . willl . . . Die .. . "

"Tristan? Quit fooling." Then a hand came out from nowhere, snatched the phone from his grip - he watched, dumbfounded - and put it on some receiver. Joey though it had hung up his cell from him, and then a hologram of Tristan appeared. Just his face. "Tristan! Knew it was you!"

"Hey. . . this is weird. . . " said Tristan's head. "How come you jsut came out of the phone?"

"I'm there too?" Joey said eagerly, forgetting earlier how he was griping about the holograms. "So why'd ya say, 'you will die'?" What's THAT supposed ta mean?"

"Say what? This must be a bad connection. I never. I said, 'Hey there. Hi?' "

"Uh-huh."

"Is it okay to talk . . . ?"

"? Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, since you're a married man, now. . . "

"Yes?"

"Ah, never mind. So how are things. . . ?"

"Great."

"You sure?" he said doubtfully.

"Uh huh. . . " Joey remembed the last time they had spoken like this, Tristan had dropped the phone. "Is that all?"

"I just was wondering, that's all. It was great seeing everyone at the wedding. In fact, the whole ceremony was nice. Except when Duke got wasted."

"Er, yeah. Didja hear from him?"

"He's here, now, with anice, big, fat hangover. Remember when Marik offered to'sober him up'?"

"Yeah . . . " Joey said, a chill running down his back.

"Well, he threw him out into the ocean."

"Go fig."

"His bad side came out just then, see, unluckily for Duke," Tristan said, "but luckily, he put a life jacket on him in the nick of time."

"Interestin'." Joey tried and tried not to picture it.

"So how was the wedding night?"

Such a change in subject. "It was - fine, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well . . . you know. . . " Tristan said with a faint smirk. "You never know. It did involve _you_.. . . It _did_, didn't it?"

"Noooo. . . . REALLY?"

"Ah, yes, another checkmark under my name of matchmaking. I just hope you didn't mess up."

Joey knew he shouldn't answer that, shouldn't let himself be baited, but. . . he couldn't help himself. "Why - HOW would I mess up?"

"Oh. . . I dunno. . . " Fingers appeared as Tristan started to tick them off. (Not to mention Joey.) "You could've. . . fallen, made her mad, could've taken off your socks, could've plainstunk. . . "

"WHAT? 'Fallen'? You idiot, that's impossible."

"Out of bed," Tristan clarified. "You never know. It IS you, after all."

Joey sputtered, turning red. Tristan's head snickered. Changing the subject hastily, Joey muttered, "And what d'you mean, 'your matchmaking skills'? Your the one who said that we - me and Mai - were like graham crackers and cheese!"

"My man, I didn't say that, Duke did," Tristan said smoothly. "And it was 'wheat toast and caviar', not graham crackers (where'd you get 'graham crackers'?) and anyway, I was the one who told you to-" he cleared his throat importantly as a drunken "_That's right!"_ sounded from the background "-ask Mai for the ticket, remember? To that World Tours Tournament?"

"Oh, yeah . . . " Joey frowned. "But I woulda figured it out myself!"

"Oh, yeah right. You would've, he says. You would've just been like this," Tristan put a dull, slow voice, "Duh, duh, duh . . . lessee . . . I got a blond who've I've been in love with for ages who has a free ticket to Spain plus a Duel Monsters Tournament - which we both like, by the way - hm, hm, hm, what ta do? Duh, duh, duh."

Joey mouth twitched. "I do not act like that!" _And I wasn't even in love with her back then!_

"Nice imitation, Tristan," Duke called.

"Yes, nice," said a voice from behind Joey who turned even though he recognized it.

"Er. . . thanks," Tristan muttered. "Hi, Mai."

"Still nursing your hangover, Duke?" she said sympathetically.

"Yesh. . . nice party. . . it was a blast!" He fell asleep.

"Anything else you want to know about out wedding night?" she said, this time addressing Tristan, who turned completely red. He muttered no. "And thanks, by the way, for giving him. . . advice, so long ago."

"You're welcome," he said meekly and hung up.

"Jeez. . . I think you scared him off!" Joey said, pocketing his cell again casually in his khaki pants. A dark blue vest and a white T-shirt completed the "preppy, but comfortable" look.

"Ah, it was fun," she said airily, taking her seat and examining a bunch a little buttons on the armrest she hadn't noticed before. A little bowl of chocolates popped out from a slot in the chair. "Men. I should've told him how spectacular it was," she said, unwrapping one, "that way, you'd have something to brag about."

"And. . . " he said, lifting his chin and tipping his head up, "was it?"

"You should know. You were there," she said with a grin, teasing.

Meanwhile

"I wonder why Joey and Mai were getting on a plane with Kaiba and Serenity," Yugi said out loud.

Téa shrugged, looking at him. "Could be any. . . number of reasons. Maybe Kaiba kidnapped them and Serenity forced them into it," she half-joked. "Or!" she said, clutching his hand, "Maybe their spending their honeymoons together. . . "

Silence, as they both caught each other's eye.

"_Nahhhh_!"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

I still don't and never willl, own YuGi Oh!

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The flight was easy, with hardly any turbulence, the weather perfect. Kaiba was pleased. He abhorred turbulence.

However, _inside_ the plane. . .

Joey had noticed that this was the fifth time his wife had gone to use the women's lavatory. He was a little concerned but figured she'd tell him when she was good and ready. He spent the alone time daydreaming about the future . . . a big house with a white picket fence, like in the movies. . . . kids running all over, he loved kids . . . a successful career and a loving wife. There, the dream stopped. What else was there?

_Oh yeah Kaiba in jail . . . I'll allow mandatory visits, since he's my sister's husband. . . and since I'm studyin' to be a police officer, I'd put 'im there!_

"Isn't dat right, little guy?" He cooed to the infant boy, who was playing with their puppy. His sister had left him with him, but would be shocked. Not just because of his thoughts, but because Christian was playing with a germy dog. His sister was obsessed with keeping her baby safe. And besides, Joey was just joking about the jail, or so he thought.

_I still don't like Kaiba, and probably never will but if even he can make such a cute little guy, how bad can he be?_ Holding out his forefinger, he smiled at his nephew. Chris wrapped his own fat little fist around it and tugged, squealiing happily. Honestly, I thought that he'd have horns and a tail or something . . Joey thought, hoisting him up as the doggy yapped. "That's a doggy," Joey intoned slowly. "Doggy? Can you say . . . doggee?"

"Gyayyayay . . . yunkel!" Chris giggled a little baby giggle.

"Close enough." He kissed and smoothed the hair flat while avoiding the baby's flailing fists. "Mai said you look a lot of yer father . . . but God wouldn't be that cruel, would he? Oh, no, he wouldn't! Oh, no he wouldn't! Muah!"

"Joey!" Mai hollered from another room, making him jump, "Can you come here!"

"All right." He found his sister, and gave her her son back, while the excited dog barked. "Move, you mutt."

"Thanks, Joey, for looking after him." Serenity smiled, a bit fatigued. "Can you tell Mai that we'll be landing soon."

"Sure, I have to help her with something anyway. Where are we landing?"

"Normandy," Kaiba answered without looking from the pilot's seat. "You know where that is. . . ?"

"Sure, I know where that is!" Joey yelled as he spun on his heel. "I passed Geography class in high school!" He left.

"Barely," Kaiba said after he'd left in an undertone. He had a conversation with his wife with their eyes: I told you so, Serenity. Stop teasing him, Seto! was the gist.

Meanwhile Joey had finally made it back. It was like a maze with all the corridors and passageways, and he hadn't been to the bathroom since Mai had been hogging it the rest of the plane trip. "What's wrong?" he said, slightly out of breath.

"Darling . . . come here and tell me what you think."

She was holding up something pink and like a thermometer. He stopped and stared at it. "Huh?"

"Does this . . . say a minus sign?"

"Where? Oh." He took it and squinted, feeling a funny prickling at the back of his neck. It was hard to see because the screen was LSD and the harsh light reflected off of the surface. "Yeah. . . it's a minus sign, all right . . . why?" He straightened. "What's it for?"

She didn't answer right away. Her head was down and her body rigid and the hand that wasn't holding it had gone into a fist and was shaking.

"Mai. . . " He tipped up her chin. "What's the matter. . . ?"

All at once, her face broke out into a beam. "Darling! I'm _pregnant_!"

She hurled herself at him, into his arm. There was a bump and the plane made a cracking sound. "What was that?" Serenity said.

"W - B - You're wha - Preg - " Joey could seem to finish a sentence let alone a word. "YOU ARE?"

"It must've happened during our wedding night," she said happily, picking up the pregnancy test from the sink where it had spilled.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" he shouted so suddenly, startling her. "THAT'S GREAT NEWS!"

"I know! That's what _I_ said.."

"Wait, we - we hafta land this thing right now! It isn't safe for you to be up here - Here - "

He gestured to the nearest seat, which happened to be the toilet seat. "Joey," she laughed when he motioned her to sit. "Give me a break. I'm not going to faint."

"Oh, boy." He sat down then, instead. "I can't believe this happened so fast. . . Are you sure? What _is_ that? A pregnancy test . . .?"

"Yep. I picked it up off the shelf at the airport."

"Did you pay?"

"Of course I paid!" She swiped at him, purposely missing. "What am I a thief?" she said absently.

"No. . . but you have stolen my heart." He murmured.

"Oh darling . . . " She hugged him around the neck, "I'm so glad that you're so happy. And that you believe in me."

"I'm just glad that you're so glad."

"Unlike some other people . . . " she murmured, with a quick look over her shoulder.

"Like Kaiba," he said bluntly. "He didn't even want to believe that his child was being born . . ."

"Well, he got scared," she said reasonably as he stood to hug her. "Mind you, he didn't even believe me when I told him about Serenity, so don't feel too bad."

"What'd he say, by the way? 'Go away'?"

"Something in that range. But you can't make fun of him about that - that he was in denial. At least, to his face. With me, it's okay."

"Yeah, yeah. My baby. . . " He sighed. "You're having my baby. . . my every dream come true. . . "

She hugged him tightly. "Guys, is everything okay? I heard a crash. You'd better come out here and put your seatbelts; it's time to land." Said Serenity's voice.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot!" Joey said, as they filed out and did so. Mai was barely listening as he went on and on about France - where they were landing - remembering when. On their last plane trip, he had been a nervous wreck. Rather like now when he was talking profusely out of nerves.

"We'll tell your sister and brother-in-law when we land, I guess," she decided as the plane went into a dive.

"Brother?" he exclaimed, shooting her a glance.

"Oh yeah," she said with a mischevious grin and a wink, "Don't forget! You promised me to call him 'brother' by the end of this trip!"

Joey pretended not to hear.

The plane landed pretty smoothly, and thus began their wild and wacky adventure. "Hurry up!" Kaiba called to his in-laws. "No, no, Joey LEAVE that there. Ever hear about bellmen?"

Joey ignored him for exchange of a state of bliss. His wife was pregnant. He was about to become a father. "Hey, sis, you know what?"

"What, Joey?" She brushed her hair out of her eyes while hurrying with Chris in the other. The puppy yipped up after them. "Why are you grinning so widely?" She started to grin herself. It was infectious.

"Well, I'm - Guess!"

"Passports."

"Wow, so this is France!" Mai said, with an effort, pushing her hair back. It was a bit windy today.

"Never been here before?"

"Haven't been here in a long time. . . " she murmured.

"So you've been here? Good. Then I don't have to help you two around." Kaiba said bluntly while barking orders at the jet maintenance men.

So he's been here with his wife? I bet Joey would be pleased, Mai thought, mentally smiling.

"My congratulations," he went on to the sidewalk.

"Huh?"

"It's so obvious. You're having a baby, right?"

"Oh. Right. Thank you."

He nodded and went on and left. _See, Serenity's husband is not so bad after all! Who knew?_  
They got in a cab, Serenity hugging Joey after having gotten the news: "I'm so glad! You're going to be a dad! I bet you'll be a great one," she rambled on excitedly.

"You bet I am." He said with a curious glance at Kaiba.

"Congratulations," Kaiba said as stiffily as he said it to Mai.

Serenity turned hopefully back at her brother.

"Thanks," Joey said gruffly. Silence. The girls exchanged glances and rolled their eyes. Men. So weird to one another.

The rest of the cab ride, which was really like a busy, passed in easy silence. Except for Kaiba giving directions to the driver in rapid French. "Wow, I didn't know he knew another language," Mai said, poking her sister-in-law.

"Yeah, he speaks um, French, Spanish, and Italian, and a little bit a German and Russian. As well as English and Japanese."

"Of course," Mai murmured.

"Well, I took French in high school," Joey said. "Though I uh, don't remember much I'm afraid."

"Oh yeah, you did," Serenity said as if just remembering it not having heard him. "So you'll get along just fine in here!"

"Um. . . " Mai didn't say what he was thinking - that he barely passed it with a D. "Don't worry," she said, "I also know French, and practically everything Serenity just said, except Russian."

They arrived, at the biggest place Joey had ever seen. He saw it first. "Jeez! I bet that dwarfs your mansion, eh Kaiba?"

"Not that you've ever been invited to my mansion, but yes," was the answer. Mai rolled her eyes.  
"It's a lot bigger," Serenity empahsized as they made their way down the long winding driveway. "This is where all the kings and queens have stayed. It really old; in fact, it was where Marie Antoinette, er, stayed; since then, it's stayed."

"Wow, royality!" Mai said. "It's a castle chateau, then!"

"Precisely."

You could've fit three mansions side by side. "You'll stay in the west wing," Kaiba instructed once they parked, pointing at Joey and Mai, then at it. "And we'll stay in the east. This is our honeymoons, after all," he pointed out, just in case their was any arguement. "Questions? No comments, please."

Joey opened his mouth, but Mai said, "Nope! We'll call you if we have any!" and dragged him inside. All at once, they were in an enormous foyer with high sculptured ceilings. "Wow. . ." she said after a while, excited. "I bet this is even higher than Daddy's ceiling. . . come on, let's go find our rooms. . . "

"If you would please follow me," said a young servant in shy French. Mai gestured her husband over, who was staring at some stained glass window done in beautiful yellows and blues. It was a certainly beautiful place to stay. Secluded, too.

"Well, I am feeling a bit more friendly to 'im," he muttered grudgingly as the young servant led the way. "Maybe I won't send him to jail, if he keeps it up like this."  
"What wasthat, dear?"

"Nothin'."

Mai smiled and tucked her arm through his. He might keel over anddie before admitting it, but he was impressed. The funiture, which all looked old and antique, matched every room they passed. "We'll explore later," she announced, "but now it's late, Mr. Frenchman."

"Oui, oui," he said, making her laugh.

"Here you are, if there's anything you want, just ring the little bell," said servant bowed out.  
"Thank you very much," Mai said, a little rusty, but okay with her French after not have used it . . . in a while.

"And what is yourname?"

"Oh. . . Joan," sqeaked the servant and left.

"Joan? That's sounds like a girl's name."

"That _was_ a girl."

"Oh. . . well it looked like it." Their room was also big, making him feel like a dwarf cast in some magical giant land. "I'm going to check out the bathroom."

Just like he did in our first time away, she thought relaxing in a humongous bed. It was four poster with hangings, a little too firm, and it looked like a landscape made out of cloth. She was so tired that she was nearly asleep after four minutes. Then, "Mai!"

"What! I'm sleeping!"

"Look at this bathroom. It massages you."

"What? Let me see!" She got up in a hurry and rushed over. "They didn't have massaging bathrooms in the fourteen hundreds. . . must've been put in."

"No, it's just the toilet, and look, a hot tub and a sauna and gold faucets and showers . . . " He looked just like a little boy on Christmas.

"I'm glad to see you're _so excited_," she sat down.

"Oh, sorry. . . did I wake you? You should get some sleep, since you're having a baby."

"Joey, I'm not having a baby now right this instant. I just got pregnant. It takes nine months." It was so cute the way he worried like a nutcase.

"Yeah, but still."

" All I need now is for you to come over here and lie down with me, then. I'm so happy."

Yawning, they climb in the high, tall bed, which took a while and snuggled together. Outside between in lace billowing curtains, the room had a view and a deep velvet night cloth had fallen with just a single star like a pinpoint. "I still should go to a doctor soon," she went on in a whisper.

"Yeah, you should!" He chided.

"It's so nice how you take of me." She smiled, enjoying the alone time with him. Silence fell. "So . . .what do you think the others are doing now? Do you think there enjoying themselves as much as us?"

By the smile in her voice he knew that she meant Tea and Yugi.

"They're probably . . . hmm . . . " He stretched. "Dancin' up a storm in some club right now."

"Really? You think so? I picture them somewhere romantic."

"That's because you _are_ a romantic."

"_So're you._ Even you think that about your sister and Kaiba. I can tell you that. Even though you're macho side doesn't allow it."

"I'm not pverly macho. I don't, like, . . .crush beer cans on my forehead to prove my manliness."

"Oh, yeah?" She giggled at the thought. "What about that time I caught you ?"  
"When!"

"You and Tristan; who else?"

"Oh . . . well . . . what I meant was, I won't do it . . . anymore." He turned slightly red, thankful that the darkness hid it. "I am going to be a father, y'know. I won't have time to do those kinds of kid things."

"Are youthat sad about it?"

"Not really. I guess I'm . . . just so eager to be a father, seeing Sis with Chris, and I'm . . . "  
She nodded. "Envious." _Me too._

"Kind of," he said reluctantly and a bit guiltily.

Their conversation ended there except for him mumbling and her voice dropping into whispers, his hand on her stomach. Meanwhile, the puppy leaped up and curled to sleep next to his new friend, Christian the Baby.

Meanwhile

"So he's in . . . Ah HA. "

"Yes."

"With his family. Interesting. Do it. But be careful. take your time - but not too much if you know what I mean."

"Yes. How much will we be asking for in ransom, miss?"

"This much. This'll be sweet spendings. MWA HA HA."

All of the conversation was done in rapid French.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own YuGiOh. And I don't have anything against the French. Really, I don't. Me love France!

* * *

After an exciting day,there was no sleep. Joey kept thinking about the new baby that he was about to have, long after it was stopped talk about it. His wife went right to sleep but he stayed up, tired to the bone. 

Maybe it was thus from lack of sleep that he was moody and silent the next morning.

"'Morning," Serenity said after greeting them in the breakfast morning room. She sipped her tea with one hand, dressed neatly and held Chris with the other like a doll. The baby began snuffling around. "Oh, he's hungry."

"Take a look around," Mai shrugged in answer to her sister-in-law's question. She was dying to ask her something but she'd have to wait until later. "Does that hurt? Why don't you use a pump thing?" she gestured towards her chest.

"Oh, I got one, but I don't use it," she said.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah." And the two young women continued chatting about motherhood. Suddenly Joey couldn't take it any longer.

"Do you two mind? I'm trying to eat here," he said, gesturing to his food. They stopped immediately, exchanging suppressed smiles. "And Serenity, put those away." He groused.

"Oh, stop being so shy. We used to take baths together, remember?" she answered shrugging.

"When we were two!" he said after a quick look at the left. Serenity buttoned her blouse up neatly again and moved her son in position to be burped. "And . . . we're going to the doctor's," he added as an afterthought.

"Oh, come on—" Mai began, but then was interrupted.

"Good morning," the maid curtsied, "Sorry to interrupt, but you have a phone call, Mrs. Serenity. Long distance."

"For me?" Serenity was startled. Getting up, she put Chris in his high chair in one swift motion. "Excuse me, all," she said, rushing over. "Probably it's Mom. _Again_."

" 'Again'?" Mai said, eyebrow raised at her husband.

"Ma calls her everyday, so why should a couple of hundred of miles be any difference?"

I'm glad he's paid some attention in her life, Kaiba thought. He'd been sitting there, scanning the French newspaper. Most of it was tabloids. A piece about him being seen coming over here to Normandy. Then he saw "MULTIPLE SHADY CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN SEEN AROUND THE AREA. BE ON ALERT."

_A spoof article?_ He speculated. Often foreign newspaper ran things like this, to make tourists hope something would happen to them, so that they'd have a story to tell when they went back home. Kaiba didn't want a 'story' to 'tell' when they got back home. He generally avoided trouble if he could help it. The trouble was, trouble went looking for _him_.

And now that he had a wife a child, he was more on alert. I_t's probably a spoof . . . but we'd better leave France tomorrow just to make sure_, he set down his paper and grasped his coffee cup and slowly lifted it to his lips. _Now how do I tell my in-laws that we're only in France for a day?_ Judging by the way that they were rhapsodizing about everything they wanted to do here, it'd be hard. _Well, maybe _they _can stay here, if they want, _he thought shrugging. Serenity would be disappointed to leave so soon, France was her favorite place, she had her heart set on visiting Paris, but at the first sign of danger, especially towards their son, she'd understand. Constantly on the run: they had that in common.

Yes, he'd asked them, but he wouldn't beg them. Let them stay with the "shady characters."

"What're you smirking about?" Joey asked suddenly, suspicious. Kaiba came out of his rationalizations and stared at him back. Mai was feeding Chris some applesauce that the maids brought.

_Or maybe I just won't ask them at all._ "Mind your own business, Wheeler."

Joey ignored this. "I know that smirk. It means you're up to no good!"

"Honey," Mai said in a pacifying voice.

Kaiba ignored him. "And let's lay some rules out shall we?" He didn't wait for a response. "After all, even though we're in separate wings," he glanced at Mai, who had stopped in mid-spoon (Chris had his mouth obediently open and ready, confused) and then his gaze settled back on Joey. "This kind of thing has never been done before, a double honeymoon, that is. So, rule number one: You're not allowed to go out without some clothes." He looked at their robes in disapproval.

"We ARE in clothes."

"Oh, come on," Mai said, also protesting. "It's vacation, besides."

"Two:" Kaiba said, pretending not to hear, and speaking in a low voice, and glancing over his shoulder at the doorway where Serenity had left through. "No hanky-panky around my son, got it? The walls are thin. Save it for you two's bedroom _please_. And that goes for around my wife too. I don't want to see eyes being burned at the sight of you two climbing all over each oth—"

"Good news!" Serenity said, interrupting, and it was a good thing too. Joey's face had gone a brilliant scarlet, but Mai was more amused at Kaiba's audacity to be angry. "It's Téa . . . here, I'll put her on speakerphone. She wants to say hi."

There was immediate silence, except the sound of Téa saying, "Serenity, are you crazy?" in a shocked tone of voice. It was obvious that she was saying something else before, and they had cut her off. Then, awkwardly, "Er . . . hi, all."

"Hi," they all chorused in a grumble.

Chris let out a happy squeal, and there was a loud crackle from the static.

"Oh, is that . . . ? Oh, he's there with you . . . " Téa's voice was suddenly full of understanding. "Well, 'bye. I guess there's nothing more to say."

Kaiba scoffed, and then looked more startled when everyone looked at him.

"Hi, to you too, Kaiba."

"Hey, Téa, wait!" Joey said suddenly speaking into the phone. "Say . . . would it be okay if we can visit you on the way back from our honeymoon . . . _s_ . . . " he added as he caught his sister's eye, and she nodded excitedly. "You and Yuge can show us around and stuff."

"Oh . . . sure!" She sounded as enthused as Serenity, and there was a rustle sound. "That'd be great. So, see you then. Say hi, Yugi . . . "

They heard him say hi, and then they hung up. There was a peaceful silence.

"You know, I really don't think they would mind," Mai said as if she'd really thought they would. "But why was she so shocked-sounding, Serenity? In the beginning?"

"Oh . . . " Serenity gestured a maid to come and take away the phone. "She just heard that we were—you know—vacationing together," she waved a hand toward all four of them, "and she couldn't believe it. And _Seto_—" she gave him a pointed look, one Mai found intriguing. She gave him that look when she couldn't believe that Kaiba had done something.

"Well, it'll be great." Joey said, still thinking about the day in New York. He seemed a lot more cheerful at the prospect of seeing them again and went back to his eggs.

"So, you guys are going to the doctor's for a checkup? We're going sightseeing," Serenity said, touching her husband on the arm, who had lifted his newspaper and disappeared behind it again. "Probably towards the art museums, in Paris."

"Ooh, Paris!" Mai said, clutching _her_ husband's arm. "That's sounds so romantic, doesn't it, Joey."

"No, we're gonna go to the doctor's," he said stubbornly. Serenity's smiled faded a bit.

The truth was she wasn't sure when she had told Mai that plus meant positive. On the pregnancy test, that is. Maybe it was a different kind of one that she had taken herself. Maybe plus meant negative. Serenity didn't want for their hopes to crash down just because she was wrong. "Um . . . "

"Make sure everything's working well," he added when Mai started to protest.

"Oh, I'm sure it is," she said dismissively, getting frustrated, while Serenity gulped.

"Even though," he said.

"Well, okay." She relented. "_Then_ we can go sightseeing—"

"No." He suddenly became interested in his fork. "You have to get some rest. We discussed it before, Mai—"

"Rest? On a vacation?"

"All right, how about this," Kaiba abruptly, while they two stared at him in disbelief, but he didn't really care about glares. "You guys go see to the doctor, and we can go sightseeing . . . Apparently his sense of humor was lost on his in-laws. "Plus, we can celebrate by going out to eat. My treat."

Free stuff always worked and money talked. They agreed.

Later

Always playing the mock-hero, Joey thought, once he was back to his room to get dressed with his wife. At least Serenity had suggested that they all go to the doctor's, she and Kaiba too, much to Kaiba's horror. He got some satisfying triumph from that.

He went straight into the bathroom to take a shower, and was amazed that the shower walls were all made of mirror. Apparently the French liked to look at themselves a lot. He'd heard that French people were snooty and self-absorbed, and seeing the shiny reflective surface of silver and chrome didn't help.

"Him and his stupid rules . . . " he grumbled while tossing off his robe. "Just because he paid for this . . . this _chateau_ . . . " Running the water warm, he stepped into it, still grousing. "How many times did I see him 'climb' all over . . . ? Mm grrh . . . If I had a dime, for every time, I would've been able to pay for this—"

The water was roaring against the metal tub, so Mai couldn't hear any of it. Not that she would've. She was also ticked off, but at him. Did he really expect her to stay in bed all day? Plenty of other women were pregnant, and they went _outside_. Oh, like the outside was _so_ scary. They didn't get hit by cars. Nothing bad would happen. It wasn't like anyone was out to get them. She didn't have any enemy in the world, and knew that _he_ didn't. Drumming her fingernails, she finally got up. "Honey? Are you done yet?" she yelled. "I want to take a shower, too. Anytime before I die," she muttered.

No answer. She thought she heard him mutter something underneath his breath. "What?"

"Hey! Do you mind?" he said, pulling the curtain back. Unfortunately, he pulled it much too hard and it slipped from its upper hinges to the ground. "What? Did you want something?" He tried to act like he meant do it.

"Just wanted to know if you were finished. What were you mumbling about?" She started to unfasten the belt of her robe.

"Um, nothing." He knew that she wouldn't be interested, and she was distracting. "Just . . . you know . . . stuff."

" 'Stuff', eh?" she said smiling before stepping into the fast-moving water. Quickly, he turned it down so she wouldn't hurt herself, reaching the same time she did. "You know, I can take care of myself . . . pretty darn well. " Their eyes met.

There was a pause.

"Yeah, well, I just wouldn't want anything to happen to you, now that's your with my baby. I mean, I always cared about you before that, as you know," he said quickly, "but especially . . . now."

"Yes, I do know," she said quietly. "And I appreciate it, I really do." She gave him a little kiss. Another short pause, shorter than the last one and they smiled at each other. She squeezed his hand and lowered her eyes. "Get over here . . . and finish what you've started."

Grinning like a rascal, he obeyed.

Later

It got even more interesting.

When they got to the doctor's, there was a long line. Fortunately, it went through fast and in no time, they were there. Mai went inside the exam rooms to get tests done on her, while the rest waited in silence. Joey sat along one wall in clean, pressed clothes and his sister and brother-in-law sat along the other, across from each other. Facing one another. Chris was on her lap playing with his set of key rings. He was teething.

He felt nervous, and without knowing it, his sister was almost as much. Except he wasn't exactly sure why. It was more of a instinct then hard fact, but he had learned long ago to trust his instinct. And now it was telling him that something was wrong, or going to be wrong.

He looked up and almost laughed. There were posters of the female reproductive system all over the wall behind his sister, so they were around her 'saint' husband too. Plus there was a real-life model of a womb with a baby next to him, and Kaiba was staring, in a disapproving suspicion, at it, _like it might attack him or something. Probably out of revenge._

Perhaps alerted by Joey's snort, Kaiba whipped his head around to narrow his eyes at him. Then he made a gesture to his left, nodding with his chin. Joey looked right. There was a skeleton. He jumped back in fright. Death, or anything symbolizing it, always creeped him out.

Kaiba scoffed, and turned his scoff into a cough when Serenity turned her head. Dressed in a flared dress in tiny flower-print, she looked every bit the lady to him. It was what he imagined his wife would look. He looked pointedly at his watch. "Just a bit longer," she whispered.

"Monsieur Wheeler?" the nurse had a strange whispery voice. "Come this way."

He got to his feet, straightened his shirt and strode forward. The nurse showed him where the examination room was, then skidded out of there.

The doctor was a man with a short moustache, and he looked at Joey as though to say, You could never grow one like these. "Er . . . you are ze husband of her . . . ?"

"Yes." He declared stoutly. Mai was looking a little pale.

"Well, then, itz O.K. the confidential information. I haf some good news and I haf some bad news."

Shivers ran through his spine vertically. "What . . . what's the good news?" he said faintly.

"Well . . . your wife is pregnant."

"Really? Oh, wow!" _Wait . . . I already knew that!_ "What's the bad news?"

"She izn't."

Dead silence.

"Huh? What's that mean."

"It means," the doctor said snottily, "there iz a problem."

"What. No way." Joey shifted his weight uneasily. Was this the cause for the gut instinct? "Explain everything to me."

Looking supreme, the doctor went on, "Well . . . to put in terms you can understand, the blood test showed that she vas pregnant, and the other test, the X-ray said there vas nothing."

"Well, duh!" Joey exclaimed. "The baby's only the size of a dot. Hey . . . and isn't a x-ray harmful to a child?"

"Did you ever hear about ultrasonic?" the doctor retorted.

"Okay, okay," Mai said tiredly. "Look, the bottom line is, there is a problem, and they don't know what to do about it. Isn't that true?"

The doctor admitted that it was so, stroking his beard.

Joey took a moment.

"Well . . . give me a theory, at least," he said finally. "Something, anything. Please."

"It could be many number of reasons," was the thoughtful answer. "My guess iz diseases . . . genetic . . . have esir of you haf had a disease that can be passed down? A family member perhaps . . . anything that vould help?"

They both shook their heads.

"Well, that narrows down my problem," the doctor muttered, walking away, arms crossed.

"We'd better just keep this to ourselves," Mai said as they headed outside. "At least for today. It would bring . . . you know . . . put a damper on everything."

"Fine . . . stupid doctor . . . " They went out in the lobby where it was rightfully dark.

"So, how's everything?" Serenity said, getting up. "Are you pregnant? Everything . . . All right . . .?"

They glanced at each other, smiled. "Yes, I am." They needed to believe it as well as be it.

"Great!" Besides her, Kaiba got up and stretched seemingly casual-like, but he knew instantly that something was wrong. He felt that Serenity knew too but he was content to play along just fine if she could. "Let's go."

Later

Paris was wonderful, as they strolled up and down the quaint narrow streets, hand in hand. Mai was still feeling sick, the doctor had given her a shot of something and she suspected that that was the cause rather than her baby. But she didn't dare to show it, if she did, Joey would make her take to her bed and stay there.

The faint breeze fluttered at their hair, with Kaiba and Serenity pushing their stroller along, and the puppy was walking merrily, yipping at some pigeons that had gathered around discarded bread. "We still didn't name him," she realized.

"Hm, I think it's a her," Joey said. "Feeling all right?" he said under his breath so they wouldn't hear.

"Fine," she said with an over-bright smile. In truth, the world was tilting. "I think the doctor was psycho."

"Me too. Let's get another one." With those joking words, they both felt better.

In the world famous Louvre, home of the Da Vincis, they wandered inside and were considered respectable. They tied up the puppy to a street lamp first. The walls couldn't have been the widest in the world, yet they seemed so because of the magnificence on top. Their steps seemed to echo although it was pretty crowded. It was a magical place.

It was surprising, but Joey did really like art. Not so much the abstract—he didn't "get" it—but the Mona Lisa he got okay. So great that he forgot all about what the doctor had said. The guy was wacko anyway. The curator looked curiously at him, and then at his wife like he wanted to jump her, which he didn't like. But except of that, all went well. Kaiba was pleased that they had behaved themselves.

He himself was well known, and well admired, and having already been here twice. He didn't much like looking at art—which was more Serenity's thing. She loved it, and would stare as if hypnotized at the pieces. Her face would be full of rapt admiration at the art, and then sometimes she would turn towards him and he'd get a face-full.

"Hey, look! There's something happening." There was an auction in the main room, and it was so stuffed with dark suits that they could barely squeeze through. Kaiba, of course, could see over the sea of heads. The auctioneer was shouting, pounding his gavel.

"I could use something to hang over my desk," he said blithely.

He bought a pretty one of a garden. It cost a pretty penny too. It was framed, and very heavy.

"Oh, thank you Seto, I love it." She hugged him, as Mai beamed.

"Big deal. So the thing cost over a million," Joey said. "Not very practical . . . " _Not that I care if he runs outta money off anything like that, but if he continues to spend, spend, spend and go bankrupt, so will Sis. And she wouldn't want to leave him._

"Well, it's _his_ money, he can buy a million dollar's worth of rocks if he wants . . . " _Aw, he's jealous._

"Rocks he has something in common with."

The alarm bell ringing stopped him. "Sir! Sir!" Looking around he saw they were gone. There was almost a stampede to get out. Evidently someone pulled the fire alarm. Something burning was definitely in the air. "Come with us."

Leading him outside, he saw Mai hurrying up to catch up with him. But he didn't see his sister or her family. That uneasy feeling again. "Where's Serenity?"

"I don't know . . . last time I saw her was in the auction room." _Where the smoke was filling up, I hope she's all right._

The curator was staring suspiciously. "You are foreigners," he said in accusatory French. "You are the cause!" he screeched, spitting.

"What!" _This guy is mad! And prejudice. And just plain psycho. I'm outta here._

Meanwhile smoke was filling up rapidly in the main hall. "Seto . . . I can't find Chris," she said, covering her nose with her collar of her dress, barely visible under sheets of smoke. _Oh my . . . God!_ Blinded, she went into a panic.

"He's right here . . . wait, where are you going?" She disappeared, and he reached out, fought panic. Grabbing an arm, he found out that it was not hers. Then another pull, and the black smoke thickened visibly. _Oh no . . ._ _oh no, oh no, oh no . . ._

He could almost _feel_ that Chris was pulling away from him. No doubt the baby wanted fresh air. But he couldn't leave her in there, confused and dazed.

Finally, luck smiled on him today. He found her and they managed to push with the crowd, which was gathering over the open street. Cars honked and lights flashed, brightly blinding.

It had been dark inside with all the smoke, but it was already dark outside too. They approached the others, who were getting yelled at by the red-faced curator.

"What's going on here?" Even slightly sooty, Kaiba's voice was authoritative enough for the rest of him.

"Priceless pieces of artworks were damaged," said the police chief in French. He had a dropping bloodhound's face, and looked like he might cry. The air had turned cold all of the sudden, in the spring.

"These are not to blame," Kaiba said before he could finish. "Just because we're not from around here doesn't mean you get to point your finger at us. Get my drift?"

"Y-yes sir." Without another look behind them, the two men scuttled off like whipped dogs.

"Humph. France," Kaiba said, looking down in disapproval at them as though they were secretly French. They backed away, recoiling slightly. Serenity was just glad that her baby was all right, she didn't pay any attention.

It had happened so suddenly, and they were grateful the he had settled the matter. For once, Joey was glad he was on their side. _Even though he makes an enemy out of everyone . . . He_ never quite thought of it that way. It must be stressful to look over your shoulder like a paranoiac

. And then he yelled in the taxi for embarrassing him, and he wasn't so grateful. But it was usual for Kaiba to be moody during crises. Besides, they readily all agreed to plan to leave as soon as possible.

Meanwhile in the shadows . . .

The thief wiped a gloved hand on the side of the tree's bark. So close! The alarm had been only a distraction. The mission had failed. After tailing them without sleep . . . the baby had been pulled out of his arms, almost, _almost_, but Kaiba, damn him, had held on tight. Too tight, the mission could not be completed. Without arousing suspicion. Now the would-be kidnapper would be punished . . . maybe the focus should be on the wife. Cursing, the thief remembered that she wouldn't go anywhere without the child . . . yes . . . it would be good compensation as a suggestion for a mission failed.

Meanwhile the evil man was plotting and planning . . . _The baby...must getit. . . _I _will get tHe baBy . . ._ "Mua ha ha . . . !"

TBC

* * *

Two evil villians? Review! 


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